Young Entrepreneurs Introduce Yogurtology to St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg has two young entrepreneurs and a bright new store on 4^th Street catering to frozen yogurt connoisseurs.

Yogurtology is a three-year-old franchise born in Arizona that offers friendly service, fresh products and a DIY setting.

Keenan Baldwin and Grant Levy, both 23 and from Tampa, opened the store just weeks ago to a full parking lot and a line out the door.

“With the weather, and considering out West the market was sort of saturated, we figured Florida was one of the better markets to have,” Levy says of their idea.

“Fourth Street is one of the better places to be in. Fresh Market just opened across the street and there's a lot of life right here,” he added.

The St. Petersburg store is their second in Florida, with the original location in Tampa. They will open a third shop, in Sarasota, later this month.

The young owners are quick to point out the health benefits of their product:

• The yogurt is an excellent source of probiotics, sometimes referred to as the good bacteria aiding in digestion and strengthening the immune system with a low-lactose source of calcium.
• It is known to improve the cholesterol profile with a reduced risk of intestinal infection. Yogurtology's flavors vary in calorie counts and the nutritional information is available online or in the store.

“It's healthier than ice cream and right now that's pretty big,” Baldwin says. “The calories are low and the flavor is still there.”

“It doesn't leave you with such a heavy, bloated feeling that ice cream does,” Levy added. “It gives a fresher feeling and you feel better after you eat it.”

Levy's sister, Jacqueline, also owns a share of the business, which Levy's parents discovered during a trip to Arizona.

The two men went to Arizona to see for themselves, received training in the franchise's operations and were the first to bring Yogurtology to Florida. They now own the exclusive franchising rights in the state and plan to open more stores over time.

“There are a lot of other places but not self-serve,” Baldwin says of the burgeoning frozen yogurt market. “You come in here and you get a different experience. There's always somebody here at the door creating a relationship with the customers and you walk out feeling like you've had an experience, where you go into some of these other places and you get that same kind of deadbeat atmosphere.”

His claim proved true in the first visit, when an employee immediately provided a friendly welcome and offered a free taste test while vigorously buffing the counter tops.

The store features 12 rotating flavors and a mind-boggling 60 toppings.

“Seasonally they'll be all changed,” Levy says of the flavors. “We do have exclusive flavors that are made here, like our oatmeal cookie, and we have a seasonal gingerbread that's a big hit. There are about 10 or 12 we create on our own, like the Butterfinger, but the oatmeal cookie is our signature.” 

They cut the fruit toppings fresh every day and the chocolate bars are chopped each morning. Other flavors include Amazon Acai Tart, White Chocolate Macadamia, Boysenberry Delight, Brisk Cappuccino and many more.

Customers pay 49 cents per ounce and create their own size, flavors, mix-ins and toppings. The bowl is weighed at the end to determine the price.

Yogurtology St. Petersburg attracts all sorts of customers, welcomes fundraisers and wants to be a good neighbor.

“The Old Northeast neighborhood right behind us here is really the big draw,” Levy noted. “That's were we get a lot of our clientele. Our employees are constantly wiping things down and sanitizing so you walk in and it looks like we just opened.”

Kara DeJesus, 23, of St. Petersburg, quickly became a fan of the store and agreed to give a quick review as she left on a hot afternoon. “It's really clean, they make you feel at home and I can make my own. I never really liked yogurt but to me it tastes like really good ice cream.”

St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster may offer his own review when he appears at the store for the official ribbon cutting ceremony on May 10.

Yogurtology is located at 3043 4^th Street North. Hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and until 11 p.m. on the weekends. Contact the shop via Facebook or call 727-895-1399.